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Lisa Campbell, left, works out at Planet Fitness, 10525 N. Oracle Road in Oro Valley. She is a new member and says she and joined for the good rates, convenience and hours. The gym caters to first-time or occasional gym-goers and plans eventually to open 14 other locations in the Tucson area.

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily St

A crowd fills the gym for late-day workouts at Planet Fitness in Oro Valley. Says co-owner Eric Goodwin: "We're really after the 86 percent that aren't into the grunting and dropping weights."

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily St

Keith Balanis, right, joins a busy crowd working in the 30 minute rotation workout at Planet Fitness in Oro Valley. The workout provides fitness with an easy-to-follow routine.

Planet Fitness: no guilt

Laid-back approach designed for those who don't 'do' gyms

Lisa Campbell, left, works out at Planet Fitness, 10525 N. Oracle Road in Oro Valley. She is a new member and says she and joined for the good rates, convenience and hours. The gym caters to first-time or occasional gym-goers and plans eventually to open 14 other locations in the Tucson area.

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily St

A crowd fills the gym for late-day workouts at Planet Fitness in Oro Valley. Says co-owner Eric Goodwin: "We're really after the 86 percent that aren't into the grunting and dropping weights."

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily St

Keith Balanis, right, joins a busy crowd working in the 30 minute rotation workout at Planet Fitness in Oro Valley. The workout provides fitness with an easy-to-follow routine.

Pizza, bagels and Tootsie Rolls are usually reserved for Friday nights out, rushed mornings or bribing the kids - not the gym.

But Planet Fitness, which has opened two locations in the Tucson area, has a different view of what a gym should be.

Rather than attracting hard-core gym-goers and body builders, Planet Fitness strives to appeal to people who don't normally "do" gyms.

Eric Goodwin, co-owner of the Tucson franchise, said "14 percent of everybody now belongs to a fitness club ... we're really after the 86 percent that aren't into the grunting and dropping weights."

Planet Fitness is designed to be noncompetitive and comfortable for those who feel apprehensive about going to the gym.

Planet Fitness member Araceli Quintana joined after going with her sister.

"It's not like other gyms, where it feels intimidating for people who aren't real fit yet," Quintana said. "You're not asking yourself, 'Do I belong here?' "

In its quest to appeal to the casual gym-goer, Planet Fitness facilities have simplified, less daunting equipment. For example, dumbbells only go up to 60 pounds and there are no squat racks. Instead, there are more than 100 cardio machines, a resistance area, a stretching and specialty focus area and a 30-minute interval training circuit.

"It does seem to be a slightly different take on the gym ideology," said Donald Gates, program director for the Pima County Health Department. "We're certainly in favor to alternative approaches to getting people active."

Goodwin, who was a member himself before becoming a franchise owner, was also attracted to Planet Fitness' no-guilt, judgment-free concept.

He said he lost 70 pounds working out at a New Hampshire facility. "I'm very connected to it," he said.

To reiterate its no-guilt tradition, the gym has "pizza Monday" the first Monday evening of the month and "bagel mornings" the first Tuesday of the month. There are also Tootsie Roll treats available to members.

But pizza at the gym? Gates doesn't think it's a bad thing.

"I think diets that exclude any food types are doomed to fail ... and it's only an occasional thing," he said.

"We're happy with anything that gets people active."

A total of 14 Planet Fitness locations are planned for Tucson in the next several years.

Goodwin said his franchise group is negotiating three locations right now.